The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: bigchicken on January 08, 2011, 11:27:39 pm
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Has anyone used or seen used a sheep shearing stool saw a picture of one in Katy Croppers book and thought it might be a usefull piece of equipment.
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You move around so much when shearing that I would think you wouldn't have time to sit on a stool ;D The Aussies use a suspended belt which helps to take the weight but allows you to move around. The only time I do use a stool is if I'm roo'ing using the 'small clump at a time' method, which takes ages, so sitting is essential then.
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I shear all my sheep sitting on a stool but they are small sheep I actually find it very helful and I move the sheep but I guess it would depend on what size sheep you were shearing.
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The stool I am talking about is for the sheep as well as the person and was a well used method in many parts of the country when hand shearing was all the go. I have seen pictures some are slatted and some are sollid and are more pointed at one end than the other in the shape of a v. some are just table shaped and a little concave.
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I found a link to a picture of one http://valcorbettphotography.com/gallery/list/category/farming-and-environment/ scroll down until you get to handshearing a herdwick
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Thats it well done. now has any one ever used one or know any old shepherds that used one.
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Most of the old welsh shepherds used to use a stool before machine clipping took off.
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Thats right they were used thoughout the country all be it in slightly differing forms. I have seen documents that tell of shearing stools being used in Cumbria, Highlands and Islands of Scotland. Now Wales, Must have been lots of them about at one time. I am going to make a shearing stool and try it out. I hand sheer my sheep and really enjoy hand shearing much better that the modern method in my oppinion. I feel much more of a connection to the sheep. It would be good to have seen one in action so I could learn the technique.